קהילת יהודי אראד, רומניה

Moses Hirschl (1790-c1860), philanthropist, born in Arad, Hungary (then part of the Austrian Empire, now in Romania). As an officer and judge of the Arad Jewish community, he donated 10,000 golden florins for the erection of a new synagogue and school. These buildings were inaugurated in 1830. Later Hirschl went to live in Vienna, Austria, where he was decorated by King Ferdinand V as a philanthropist who gave generously to both Jewish and non-Jewish poor. When the imperial commissioner Haynau levied an exorbitant tax on the Hungarian Jews because of their participation in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848-1849, Hirschl used his influence with the imperial court to alleviate the burden on the Arad and other Jewish communities. He also persuaded the government to contribute to the cost of the establishment of a Jewish junior high school in Arad.

Jakob Guttmann (1815-1858), sculptor and engraver born in Arad, Romania (then part of the Austrian Empire). The son of poor parents, Jakob was apprenticed to a gunsmith at the age of thirteen. Upon completion of his course in 1833, he walked to Vienna, Austria, where he obtained a job and learned engraving. A year later he opened his own engraving shop and started to make a reputation for himself.

In 1837 Prince Metternich, the Austrian chancellor, awarded him a scholarship to study at the Academy of Fine Arts, where he won a prize for his wax plaque of Joseph II. This was exhibited with at the Academy's exhibition in 1841 together with busts of Metternich and the mythological figure of Paris. In 1843 he made a bronze statue of Baron Solomon de Rothschild, who was so pleased that he awarded Guttmann an annual stipend which permitted him to continue his studies in Italy.

Best known among his early sculptures are his bronze busts of Saphir, the court jester, and Bauerle, the playwright (1844). His monumental representation, in marble and bronze, of Moses, Samson and Delilah, Genius, Psyche and Amour was made in 1847. In Italy he produced a striking bust of Pope Pius IX, which was reproduced and thousands of copies were distributed throughout Italy. The original was subsequently acquired by the Hungarian Museum of Fine Arts. Guttmann lived in Italy until 1850.

From 1850 to 1852 he lived and worked at Budapest, Hungary; he then went to London for about two years. There he sold "Peasant at His Plow", one of his finest creations, but felt that the British did not sufficiently appreciate his talent so in 1853 he moved to Paris, France, where he produced outstanding statues of "Ceres, Faith Hope and Love", and "Dr. Peter Henrik Ling". Paris, however, proved to be his undoing, for he fell hopelessly in love with actress Rachel, whose failure to reciprocate made Guttmann despondent. Within a year after his return to Budapest in 1857, he suffered a nervous collapse and was hospitalised at the Dobling mental institute, where he passed away.

Bibl: The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia 5/135;
Zsido Lexikon p' 327


ORIGINAL TEXT
Guttmann Jakob (1815-1858), sculptor and engraver. Born in Arad (then Hungary), later Romania. The son of poor parents, Jakob was apprenticed to a gunsmith at the age of thirteen. Upon completion of his course, he walked to Vienna (1833), where he obtained a job and learned also engraving. A year later he established his own engraving shop and through notable exhibits soon made friends among the nobility.
Prince Metternich, the Austrian chancellor, awarded him a scholarship (1837-40) to the Academy of Fine Arts, where he won a prize for his wax plaque of Joseph II. This was exhibited with distinction at the Academy's exposition (1841) together with busts of Metternich and the mythological Paris. In 1843 he made a bronze statue of Baron Solomon de Rothschild, who was so pleased that he gave Guttmann an annual stipend with which to continue his studies in Italy. Here upon commission by the Rothschilds of Naples, he executed a striking bust of Pope Pius IX (1850), which was reproduced and distributed in thousands of copies throughout Italy. Its original was subsequently acquired by the Hungarian Museum of Fine Arts. Guttmann lived in Italy until 1850.
Best known among his early sculptures are his bronze busts of Saphir, the court jester, and Bauerle, the playwright (1844); his monumental representation, in marble and bronze, of Moses, Samson and Delilah, Genius, Psyche and Amour (1847). From 1850 to 1852 he lived and worked at Budapest, then went to London for about two years. There he sold Peasant at His Plow, one of his finest creations, but felt generally disillusioned about the cold reception accorded him at the British capital. He moved to Paris in 1853, where he wrought such outstanding examples as Ceres, Faith Hope and Love, and Dr. Peter Henrik Ling. Paris, however, proved to be his undoing, for he fell hopelessly in love with actress Rachel, whose failure to reciprocate made Guttmann despondent. Within a year after his return to Budapest, 1957, he suffered a nervous collapse, has been interned at the Dobling mental institute, where he passed away.

Gyula Gal (1865-1938), actor, born in Arad, Romania (then part of the Austrian Empire). He started acting on provincial stages, but his talents were soon recognized by drama scouts for the national companies. The Comedy Theatre of Budapest, Hungary, engaged him in 1896 and five years later the National Theatre engaged his services.

Gal was particularly successful in tragic roles, distinguishing himself in classic parts such as King Lear, Shylock, Friar Lawrence, King Richard III, Othello, Hamlet, Henry IV, Helm (Nora), Kent, Menemus and others. He was also acclaimed for his performances in leading roles in plays by Ibsen, as well as in modern works mainly of Magyar origin, including "Ocskay brigaderos", "Becstelenek", and "Elnemult Harangok". Gal became a member of the faculty of the Academy of Theatre Arts, where, for three decades, he exerted a great influence upon a whole generation of young Hungarian actors and actresses. In 1927 a special event marked Gal's fortieth anniversary as an artist and the twenty-fifth anniversary of his career as teacher. Prior to that the National Theatre bestowed upon him the rare honor of life membership. In 1935, at the age of 70, he formally retired from the National Theatre while agreeing to appear from time to time in a number of revivals of dramas in which he had attained renown. Soon thereafter, however, he became seriously ill and never fully recuperated. Gal died in Budapest.

He was author of a number of plays, among them "A vezeklok", "A tunderforras", and "Jol jatszottam?"

איזידור קאופמן (1853-1921), צייר, נולד באראד, הונגריה (אז חלק מהאיפריה האוסטרית, היום ברומניה), ונאלץ להתפרנס ממסחר. רק בשלב מאוחר יותר בחייו יכול היה להגשים את משאלתו להיות צייר. אחרי שלמד בברלין ובווינה והקדיש עצמו לציור, והתמקד בציורים המתארים חיים יהודים, ובמיוחד בשטעטל. הוא סייר בין הכפרים במזרח אירופה, הכין רישומים שהיו הבסיס לעבודותיו. לא עבר זמן רב והוא זכה להערכתם של הקיסר הגרמני והצאר הרוסי.

Jozsef Veszi (1858-1920), editor and journalist, born in Arad (then part of the Austrian Empire, now in Romania). He studied modern languages at the Universities of Budapest and Leipzig, Germany, and soon after, began contributing to newspapers in Budapest, both in Hungarian and in German. He became a columnist for “Pester Lloyd”, and in 1894 was appointed editor-in-chief of the “Pesti Naplo”. In 1896 he founded the “Budapesti Naplo”, a staunchly liberal daily newspaper and succeeded in gaining its support from young elite Hungarian writers. He had a flawless talent for the discovery of talent. Veszi was one of the first to appreciate the lyrical genius of Endre Ady and he discovered Dezso Kosztolanyi, Ferenc Molnar and Lajos Biro. The latter two later came to become his sons-in-law.

From 1899 to 1905 Veszi was a member of the lower chamber of the Hungarian Parliament where he sat in the ranks of the Liberals. He played a notable part in the controversy between the Crown, supported by the Hungarian Liberals, and the often aggressive Magyar Independents. He was a ministerial counselor and head of the press bureau of the Fejervary cabinet of 1905, imposed upon Hungary by the Crown against the will of parliament. Together with the Minister of the Interior, József Kristoffy, Veszi propounded the idea that the king should grant universal suffrage to the population of Hungary as a means of weakening the Magyar super nationalists. The Magyar Independents dropped their unreasonable demands, whereupon a coalition cabinet was formed in which they constituted a majority.

When the ruling classes socially boycotted the former supporters of the Fejervary cabinet, Veszi went into exile to Berlin (1906-1910). There he founded, together with Baron Lajos Hatvany, the review “Jung-Ungarn”, a brilliant though short-lived attempt to present Hungarian cultural values to the wider world. He translated the Hungarian historical play, Jozsef Katona's “Bank Ban”, into German and succeeded in persuading Max Bernhardt to produce it.

On his return to Hungary after the fall of the coalition regime, he founded the “Budapester Presse” (1911). Continuing to lend his support to the idea of universal suffrage, he backed by Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to the throne. After his appointment as editor-in-chief of the semi-official “Pester Lloyd”, Veszi had to show his support of subsequent governments. He was one of the keenest supporters of the alliance with Germany, and during World War I advocated the policy of fighting to the last. Following the period of revolutions and counterrevolutions, he resigned himself to serve the regime of Regent Nicholas Horthy. He was made a member of the upper house of parliament, and represented Hungary in the Assembly of the League of Nations several times.

As a youth Veszi published some lyrical poetry, “A banat dalaibol” ("Songs of Sorrow"; 1879) and “Traviata” (1881). For several years he was president of the association of Budapest newspapermen and secular president of the Hungarian Jewish Literary Society (IMIT). He retired from the editorship of the “Pester Lloyd” in 1938.

Prior to World War I, Veszi was one of the last Jewish journalists to exercise a vital influence upon Hungarian affairs. Although he never adopted a clear-cut stand against the anti-Semitic counterrevolution, he was always active in Jewish affairs and was an honorary executive member of the Jewish community of Pest.